To underpin its £26 million regeneration plans for the Broomhill neighbourhood of Greenock, River Clyde Homes (RCH) has opened a project office in the area.

Based in a former shop unit on Broomhill Way, it will provide a focal point for customers as the three year project progresses.

Broomhill is a high density housing area where RCH manages 666 properties. It’s an area of mixed development, but the stock is largely of late 60s/early70s concrete construction. At its heart lie three multi-storey blocks, the look of which will be altered to stunning effect using a high specification cladding to create a dramatic new facade.

The area requires a radical and substantial investment in new services to support customers and capital investment to produce homes that are fit for the 21st century. But there is a strong community spirit in Broomhill and River Clyde Homes has worked with local residents to develop plans for the future.

Willie Croft, property and development services director at RCH, said: “This is our single biggest regeneration project and having an office that will eventually provide a full housing service to the community will be a huge benefit. Work has already started on internal refurbishments and the new eco-friendly district heating system is being built. The community has been involved fully in the developments and the new office provides a place for them to meet.”

To mark the opening of the offices an art competition was organised with local primary schools: St Patrick’s Primary and Whinhill Primary where pupils were asked to design the home of their dreams. There were three winners and their artworks are being displayed in the Broomhill office.

Albert Henderson, MBE, vice-chair of the River Clyde Homes board, presented each of the young people with a prize of a £30 voucher.

He said: “It was really tough to choose the winners; such was the high quality of all entries. But what was clear is that these young people have fantastic ideas of how a futuristic home might look both inside and out. My congratulations go to the winners and I hope people pop in to the office to see their artworks.”

Whinhill pupils Allie Tormey (aged 9, primary 5), Tori Macpherson (aged 5, primary 1) and Neve Burns (aged 10, primary 6) of St Patricks designed unusual and colourful homes that included unusually shaped buildings with swimming pools and triangular windows.